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Friday, 29 May 2015

PRESS RELEASE

TRIPURA IS START, AFSPA MUST GO FROM EVERYWHERE: SSSC

Announcement of Repeal AFSPA from Tripura is a
welcome move. We, at Save Sharmila Solidarity Campaign, convey our
sincere thanks to Govt of Tripura as well as MHA for considering the
move. We believe that repeal of AFSPA from Tripura is a decision in
favor of democracy and humanity.

Save
Sharmila Solidarity Campaign (SSSC) view this incident as 'moving from
inertia of AFSPA'. It is because since many years and even after
continuous demands by people and rights groups, AFSPA was not even
diluted a bit. No government or security agencies have taken any
positive steps towards its repeal and were isolated from this issue. No
one in the government even wanted to talk about the issue and those who
were in government never tried to break the ice and ignored people's
demand.

As, SSSC had already stated in several
other campaigning moments, AFSPA does not have people's mandate. We
also believe that by breaking this inertia, there is a signal of
something positive. A start was awaited.

As
Tripura is one of the states of North East region of India, repealing
AFSPA from this state also sends a message of confidence and hope among
all other people who are residing in AFSPA zone presently. We also see
that this start must become dynamic very soon and governments must try
to repeal it from every where.

We demand with
the government to immediately pay attention towards Manipur also where
Irom Sharmila is on a continuous fast since the last 15 years. Keeping
AFSPA in Manipur is against the will and future of state. We demand with
state and central government both to coordinate and cooperate with each
other to end the impasse over AFSPA. For Manipur, state leadership of
central ruled patry was already promised repeal of AFSPA.

SSSC
believes that AFSPA that was extended to J&K vide AFSPA-J&K,
should also be repealed as victimisation and sufferings cannot be looked
separately. A human rights violation is always a violation of human
rights regardless of region. in J&K, so many incidents of killings,
rapes and disappeances have already been reported and evidences were
provided even before courts against many security officials, but due to
impunity under AFSPA (section 7), nothing could be done against
culprits.

SSSC also see that
enjoying such an impunity that AFSPA provides is actually a corruption
and it is absolutely not required for any responsible , honest and
committed security force personals. In contrary, it becomes dangerous as
such absolute powers divert the normal way of working of personals.

SSSC
appeals with the state and central government to immediately act upon
this long pending demand of Repeal AFSPA. AFSPA is not required not only
in Tripura but in no other AFSPA state. AFSPA is a failed law. SSSC
will continue its efforts and will be organising protests and active
campaigning in coming months for advocating Repeal of AFSPA from every
where.